Endorsement Letter

NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft is currently about 3 billion miles/ 5 billion km. from Earth, en route to a historic encounter to reconnoiter Pluto and its moons—worlds that will in 2015 become the farthest-ever frontier of human exploration. Eventually, New Horizons will become the fifth spacecraft to leave the solar system, following Pioneers 10 and 11 and Voyagers 1 and 2 on an endless voyage through interstellar space. Each of our first four interstellar probes carries a message from the people of Earth to any extraterrestrial who might someday encounter them. New Horizons carries no such message… but it’s not too late to add one!

We, endorsers of the grass roots New Horizons Message Initiative, hope to persuade NASA to upload an interstellar message to the spacecraft’s memory, following a successful Pluto encounter. The undersigned are observatory directors, scientists from other NASA missions, leading astronomers, spacecraft engineers, teachers, science communicators, artists and other interested people. We believe that this proposal is scientifically sound, technically feasible, and socially beneficial. We should do it.

A self-portrait of Planet Earth, made by its people in the second decade of the 21st Century

This new concept for an interstellar message came from artist Jon Lomberg, possibly Earth’s most experienced creator of space message artifacts. As Carl Sagan’s most frequent artistic collaborator, Jon served as Design Director for the iconic Voyager Golden Records, which contain a stunning array of sights and sounds of our home world. The Voyager spacecraft have left the solar system behind, carrying their message into interstellar space. Now Lomberg and we, his collaborators, propose creating a new self-portrait of humanity.

A digital “Voyager Record 2.0”, a message in the memory of NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft

For the New Horizons Message Initiative, Jon has assembled a varied team of expert advisers to help craft this latest venture in interstellar communication. But unlike the Pioneer and Voyager messages, which were created by small, select teams, the New Horizon Message Initiative will invite the participation of all interested parties across our small but special world. Using new techniques of crowd-sourcing, the content of the message will be shaped by scientists, artists, writers, and ordinary people who share an interest in this unique and important enterprise.

As scientists, academics, and interested parties working in other fields, we believe that this message is an inspiring idea that offers opportunities for public engagement and the stimulation of interest in science, engineering and exploration by a new generation.

We are not requesting any specific funds from NASA to manage and design this complex project. Its initial success depends on our persuading NASA to approve this initiative, and then, on the financial support of private individuals and organizations. This is not simply a message from Earth, but even more importantly, a message to Earth. The very act of creating the message brings together people from many places, different walks of life, and different perspectives. The final product could be a unique affirmation of the future that everyone on this planet can take pride in. It may even serve to help unify our small and troubled world.

We, the undersigned, enthusiastically endorse the New Horizons Message Initiative, and we urge all interested people and organizations to join us requesting that NASA take this opportunity to approve our creation of a bold and inspiring message from humanity and place it onboard the spacecraft once it has safely and successfully passed Pluto.

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New Horizons Message Initiative Petition

English:
We, the undersigned, enthusiastically endorse the New Horizons Message Initiative, and we urge NASA and all interested people and organizations to join us in supporting it. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join in a chorus of voices that will speak for Earth!